Shadows of Fiore
by par1ah
Summary: Spenser's reckless thinking and Solana's brooding personality have somehow managed to survive ten long years of friendship. But when the letters stop coming from him, Solana is left on her own with no idea how to categorize her deep feelings.


Ahh so before we get into the story I think this will be my first ever fanfic that I continue with! I absolutely adore the pairing of Spencer and Solana but they rarely get any credit which is quite depressing. I got this idea after laying around all day longing for a good fanfiction that centered between these two, and all of a sudden it's like the creative gods are sending ideas into my head! Anyway um forget about me here comes the story!

I was five and he was eight.

At my age, my family had finally deemed it appropriate for me to accompany them on their annual trip to Almia. We had a quaint little summer home in Chicole Village, just south of Vientown. Vientown, to the east of the entire region, was located close to a school that teenagers aspiring to be Rangers, Operators or even Mechanics were able to study at. However, I had known that my family would never let me embark on such a journey. Their little Solana was never allowed to grow up. Not after the incident.

Anyways, our summer home. Nabiki Beach bordered our property on the west side. Sometimes, while neither of my parents were looking, I would be able to slink off into the tree cover and relax on the beach on my own. One day, the tide pools were low and a cave opening was exposed to my young eyes. Being curious had always been in my nature, and no matter how hard my family attempted to oppress it, it was still there. My legs carried my body to the entrance without a second thought.

 _And there I was. The walls seemed to have a purple tint to the black darkness. A faint rumble could be heard from the inside of the cavern. Swallowing my fear, I continued, pressing deeper into this mysterious tunnel. Moisture clung to the air and I could feel it coating my lungs the further I advanced. Water droplets glistened off the small stalagmites, shortly flashing and collecting sunlight from small holes in the ceiling before pooling onto the already damp floor. Zubats made their homes in darker corners, scattering whenever I approached. My fear began to subside as my brain continued to replay what my mother told my father to convince him to come to Almia for the first time, or so I've heard from her._

 _ **"Pokemon in the Almia region are peaceful. The ones that step out of line are dealt with by Rangers before anyone can notice it! Doesn't it sound wonderful, honey?"**_ _To this day I still trust her word that she wasn't lying. None of the pokemon in that cave even gave me a second glance, letting this five year old child press on into their territory. A sudden rumble awoke me from my dreamlike state; glancing around the cavern, nothing was out of the ordinary. Except, for the fact that the pokemon had begun to flee deeper into the tunnel. Naturally, I began to follow, fearing what was to come. A quick swish of water told me that the sun was setting and the tide was beginning to retreat towards the shore. Panic rose in my small throat as I realized I did not tell my family where I was going, when I was going to be back, and worst of all, that I couldn't swim. Tears began to pool in my eyes faster than the pools in the seaside cave were filling up, as my back slumped against the wall. The fear that I was never going to be able to leave the cave finally sunk in, and my cries echoed throughout the cave, effectively scaring all the straggler pokemon deeper into the cave. It was just me and my thoughts._

And that's when he came, my savior, Spencer.

 _I saw a figure trudging through the sand and surf. His minty green hair reminded me of my own shock of electric blue tresses. His goofy grin plastered as he held out a hand to me._

" _I'm Spencer, I'm eight years old, it's nice to meet you, and it's dangerous in here at night so you should come with me." the boy told me. I smiled a little bit as my tears began to dissipate._

 _"My name is Solana. I came here because there was no water in front of the cave, but I saw it pool up in front and I can't swim." I pouted, remembering my predicament. "I just came here to explore but now I'm lost and stuck!" I began to cry again. Spencer gave me a warm smile and scooped me up in one go onto his back. He was impressively tall for an eight year old, my hands could touch the grimy ceiling if I tried. The gentle bobbing of his footsteps while me piggybacking him lured me to sleep, as he began the trek back to the entrance. Trudging through the water that was too deep for me to stand in, we reached the shore, or so he told me. I was shaken awake by him, his light features only illuminated by the moonlight._

 _"Solana, don't go back in there unless you're with me, cause I'll keep you safe from all the water and the pokemon! I'm going to be the best Pokemon Ranger in all of the regions!" He announced, with great exuberance. "And wanna know something? People say that if two people meet on this beach, they're destined to be friends forever!" He said, extending a hand to me. "So, what do you say, Solana? Let's be friends!"_

 _The boy led me back to my cottage with special instructions from me. My mother gave me a stern scolding when I arrived, as had my father. They thanked Spencer profusely for his assistance and appointed him what I would call a "babysitter", but what they called a "protector" for me. For the two weeks my family had stayed there that summer and the next three years, I would build a greater friendship with Spencer._

Then, I was eight and he was eleven.


End file.
